JP2000123679A - Push-button switch structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate a distinct difference in the force amount between two sorts of operations without hindering small-size and low-cost construction of a switch structure. SOLUTION: A first switch is put on by the first operation of a push button 10, and by the second operation, a second switch is put on. In this push-button switch structure, either of the first and second switches is formed from an electric conducting part 1c consolidated with the push button 10 and an electroconductive member whose electroconductive part 1c makes contact when the button 10 is pushed, while the other switch is formed from a first cut piece 4a to make deformation upon being pressed to a pressing part 1d consolidated with the push button 10 in association with the push of the button 10 and a second cut piece 4b with which the first cut piece 4a deformed comes in contact.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a first push button.
And a push button switch structure configured to turn on different switches by the second operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of push button switch structure is applied to, for example, a release button of a camera. FIGS. 5 and 6 show a conventional example. In the example of FIG. 5, the conductive rubber portion 101 is operated by operating a first stroke of a rubber push button 101.
(c) is brought into contact with a predetermined pattern on the substrate 3 to turn on the first switch, and by the operation of the subsequent second stroke, the conductive rubber portion 101d at the center is brought into contact with another pattern on the substrate 103 to turn on the second switch. It is to let. 10 in the figure
Reference numeral 1b denotes a skirt portion integrated with the push button 101, which is deformed by the pressing operation of the push button 101 and restored by releasing the operation.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which a two-stage switch having a metal section is used. When a first stroke of the push button 201 is operated, a pressing portion 201d presses and deforms the section 204a to contact the section 204b ( The first switch is turned on), and the pressing portion 201d also deforms the second piece 204b by the subsequent operation of the second stroke to contact the conductive member 204c (turn on the second switch).

[0004]

In the example of FIG. 5, the operation of the push button 101 for the first stroke requires a sufficient amount of operating force to deform the skirt portion 101b. Part 101
In addition to the further deformation of b, a force is needed to crush the conductive rubber portion 101d already in contact with the substrate 103. Therefore, the operation of the second stroke is heavier than the operation of the first stroke, but the difference in the force is not so large that the operator can clearly recognize it, and the on / off state of each switch can be grasped. difficult.

On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to provide a clear force difference between the first and second stroke operations by using a switch of a type that deforms the intercept, but a two-stage switch is used. Since the switch structure is used, the height of the entire switch structure is increased, which hinders downsizing of the device (for example, a camera) and increases the cost. If separate switches are arranged side by side and pressed by pressing portions having different lengths, the height problem can be solved, but the cost cannot be solved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a push-button switch structure capable of providing a clear difference in power between two types of operations without impeding downsizing and cost reduction of the switch structure.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
4 and FIG. 4, the present invention turns on the first switch by the first operation of the push button 10,
The present invention is applied to a push button switch structure configured to turn on the second switch by a second operation following the first operation of the push button. One of the first and second switches is a conductive part 1c integrated with the push button 10.
And the conductive members 3a and 3b with which the conductive portion 1c comes into contact with the operation of the push button 10. One of the first and second switches is operated in accordance with the operation of the push button 10.
The first section 4a is deformed by being pressed by the pressing portion 1d integrated with the push button 10, and the second section 4b is brought into contact with the deformed first section 4a. This configuration solves the above problem. . According to a second aspect of the present invention, a switch composed of the conductive portion 1c and the conductive members 3a and 3b is a first switch, and a switch composed of the first and second sections 4a and 4b is a second switch. Things. Claim 3
According to the invention, a plurality of conductive portions 1c are formed, and the conductive members 3a, 3
b so as to be able to contact any of the conductive portions 1c.
And a switch composed of the second sections 4a and 4b.

[0008] In the section of the means for solving the above-mentioned problems, which explains the configuration of the present invention, the drawings of the embodiments are used to make the present invention easy to understand. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a release button of a camera will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 are cross-sectional views showing a release button and a switch structure of the camera. The push button 10 includes a rubber button body 1 and a decorative cover 2 placed on the upper part of the button body 1. The button body 1 projects from an elliptical operation portion 1a and a lower edge of the operation portion 1a. Thin skirt portion 1b, a pressing projection 1d protruding from the center of the lower surface of the operating portion 1a, and an operating portion 1a sandwiching the pressing projection 1d.
Are formed integrally with a pair of conductive projections 1c protruding in the vicinity of the longitudinal end. Button body 1 is camera body 2
The lower end of the skirt portion 1 b is fixed to the upper surface of the substrate 3 by being inserted into a concave portion formed on the upper surface of the substrate 3. A pair of conductive protrusions 1c
Is longer than the pressing protrusion 1 d, and the tip thereof is opposed to the conductive patterns 3 a and 3 b (FIG. 4) formed on the substrate 3.
The conductive protrusion 1c may have conductivity only at the tip end surface, or the entire button body including the protrusion 1c may be formed of conductive rubber.

A switch 4 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 3 at a position facing the pressing protrusion 1d. Switch 4
As shown in FIG. 4, a circular metal piece (upper piece) 4a having a spring property and a circular metal piece (lower piece) 4b arranged thereunder are provided. The lower piece 4b is formed on the conductive pattern 3a. , The upper section 4a is connected to the conductive pattern 3c. The conductive patterns 3a and 3b are switches 4
Is provided so as to surround.

In the switch structure configured as described above, when the button main body 1 is pressed downward in the operation release state shown in FIG. 1, the operation parts 1a, 1b are deformed by the skirt part 1b.
The pair of conductive protrusions 1c and the pressing protrusions 1d are integrally lowered, and the conductive protrusions 1c
Are in contact with the conductive patterns 3a and 3b (FIG. 2).
As a result, the two patterns 3a and 3b conduct through the conductive protrusion 1c, and the so-called half-press switch is turned on. The CPU (not shown) recognizes that the half-press switch is turned on via the pattern on the substrate 3 and starts the photometric processing and the distance measuring processing. Since the pressing projection 1d is shorter than the conductive projection 1c, the switch 4 cannot be turned on at this time.

Here, the button body 1 is moved to the first position as described above.
The force required to operate only the stroke is sufficient to deform the thin skirt portion 1b, so that the operator can turn on the half-press switch with a relatively light operating force.

Thereafter, when the button body 1 is further pressed downward, the skirt portion 1b is further deformed, and the pair of conductive protrusions 1c is deformed so as to be crushed, so that the operation portion 1a and the pressing protrusion 1d are integrally lowered. As a result, the pressing projection 1d presses and deforms the upper section 4a of the switch 4, and when the total operation amount reaches the second stroke, the upper section 4a comes into contact with the lower section 4b, and the switch 4 (here, a full-press switch). Turns on (FIG. 3). The CPU (not shown) recognizes that the full-press switch is turned on via the pattern on the substrate 3 and performs a photographing process. When the pressing of the button body 1 is released, the pressing projection 1d is retracted by the restoration of the skirt portion 1b, so that the section 4a is restored and the full-press switch is turned off, and the conductive projection 1c is also retracted. Turn off.

The amount of force required to operate the button body 1 from the state of FIG. 2 to the state of FIG.
b, the force required to squeeze the pair of conductive protrusions 1c, and the force required to deform the section 4a of the switch 4 as compared with the half-press operation. Requires considerable power. Therefore, FIG.
As compared with the example of the above, the difference in the operation force between the half-press operation and the full-press operation can be clearly recognized, and for example, the inconvenience of erroneously turning on the full-press switch when the half-press state should be maintained is eliminated. Further, since the switch 4 does not need to be a two-stage type as shown in FIG. 6, the height of the push button 10 can be minimized and the camera can be downsized.

Further, in this embodiment, a plurality of conductive protrusions 1c are provided on the button body 1 and
a and 3b are arranged so as to be able to come into contact with any of the conductive protrusions 1c.
a, 3b, and the half-press switch can be reliably turned on.

In the above embodiment, the conductive protrusion 1c
Represents a conductive portion, the conductive patterns 3a and 3b constitute a conductive member, the half-press switch constitutes a first switch, and the full-press switch constitutes a second switch.

In the above description, an example in which two conductive protrusions are provided on the button body 1 has been described. However, three or more conductive protrusions may be provided. Also, the present invention is not limited to the release button of the camera, but may be applied to a switch structure for selecting one of a plurality of functions by turning on a first switch and setting the selected function by turning on a second switch. Can be applied.

[0018]

According to the present invention, in a switch structure in which different switches are turned on by a two-stage operation of a push button, one of a conductive portion integrated with the push button and a conductive member in contact with the conductive portion is provided. A switch is formed, and the other switch is composed of a first section that is deformed by being pressed by the pressing portion integrated with the push button and a second section that is in contact with the deformed first section, so that the size of the switch structure is reduced. In addition, it is possible to provide a clear power difference between the two switch operations without hindering cost reduction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a switch structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where a push button is not operated.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a state in which a push button is operated by a first stroke.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a state in which the push button has been operated up to a second stroke.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of a switch 4 and an arrangement of conductive patterns on a substrate.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a conventional switch structure.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Button main body 1a Operation part 1b Skirt part 1c Conductive protrusion 1d Pressing protrusion 2 Decorative lid 3a, 3b, 3c Conductive pattern 4 Switch 4a, 4b Section 10 Push button 20 Camera body

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hidenori Miyamoto 3-2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nikon Corporation F-term (reference) 2H081 CC03 2H100 AA14 DD08 5G006 AA01 AB02 AZ01 BA01 BB03 BB05 BC04 CD05 LC02 LG04

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A push button configured to turn on a first switch by a first operation of the push button, and to turn on a second switch by a second operation following the first operation of the push button. In the switch structure, one of the first and second switches includes a conductive portion integrated with the push button, and a conductive member with which the conductive portion contacts by operation of the push button. The other of the first switch and the second switch is brought into contact with the first piece deformed by being pressed by the pressing portion integrated with the push button in accordance with the operation of the push button, and the deformed first piece being in contact with the first button. A push button switch structure comprising: 2. A switch comprising the conductive portion and the conductive member is the first switch, and a switch comprising the first and second pieces is a second switch. The push-button switch structure according to claim 1. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said conductive portions are formed, and said first conductive member is connected to said first conductive portion so as to be able to contact any of said conductive portions.
3. The push-button switch structure according to claim 1, wherein the switch is arranged so as to surround a switch composed of the first and second sections.